As It Falls
by Sevvy101
Summary: Having been attacked, in one of the worst ways possible, Kurt is broken. He is damaged. How can he be fixed, when everything seems hopeless? Why won't Blaine just give up? Klaine, Rated T for themes of rape. Slight AU during/after "Furt"
1. Chapter 1

Kurt took a deep breath. Or, well, tried to, for he was about to let out the contained air when he started to choke back a sob, letting go completely. He still held his knees up to his chest, pushing his body farther into the corner, trying to hide until there was nothing left. As the hot tears continued to stream down his face, he closed his eyes and shuddered just as he felt his phone vibrate on the ground next to him. Drawing out of his curled up position the grab his now-cracked i-Phone, he saw a text from Blaine.

Blaine.

The name brought even more tears to this surface. How could he ever talk to the boy again? He had put so much faith and encouragement into Kurt and despite all that he had still failed the older boy. He was horrible, and he knew it. Despite this, he still took a look at the message. He felt as though if he ignored the message, he'd only be causing more pain.

"What're you doing tonight?" If only you knew, Kurt thought to himself. You'd find me too broken, too dirty, to ever want to spent time with me again.

Minutes passed by before he felt another buzz, the sound of it ringing through the empty locker room showers. He read, once again, a text from Blaine. "Is everything all right? You never leave your phone unanswered for long." Why are you making this so hard, Kurt closed his eyes in angry thought. You should be mad at me; you should be yelling and turning away from my pathetic excuse for a life.

Absently looking at the time, Kurt noted that it was nearing five, and that football practice would be ending in an hour. He knew he'd have to leave soon if he didn't want to be seen. Nobody could look at him now; they'd cackle and laugh at his current state, only to attack him worst than ever before.

Trying to regulate his breathing after his countless erratic sobbing once more, Kurt took a deep breath just as the sound of Katy Perry blasted in the empty room, echoing off the bare walls and tiled floor. He knew if he didn't answer, the elder boy would continue to call again and again until he was answered, and Kurt didn't know how many times he could hear Teenage Dream before breaking down worse than he had already.

"Y-Yes" Both his voice and body shook, his throat aching as he tried to talk without crying.

"Where are you?" Hell. The afterlife. Gone. No where you need to be.

"McKinley"

"There wasn't Glee practice today, was there?" Don't be worried, don't be concerned. You shouldn't be.

"No"

"Kurt…" The way he dragged out his name, dripping with affectionate concern, made the boy in question unable to hold back the sob that had been threatening to get out since the moment he heard Blaine's voice. "Kurt," he repeated himself before continuing, "what happened?"

"I-I…"He couldn't say it. Saying what happened would only make it real. By admitting what had transpired mere hours before would only prove his sate of disgrace, it would only confirm how broken and unfixable he had become.

"I'm 15 minutes away; where are you in the school?" Here? Why? Go. Leave. Don't come see me! All of these things Kurt wanted to shout, but he couldn't find his voice to. Blaine was just as determined as he was: there was no use stopping him when his mind was made.

"T-the boys locker r-room." Despite how softly he whispered, Blaine heard it, and just as badly as Kurt wanted to end the phone call, the Warbler refused to.

"I'm not hanging up until I see you. If you hand up, I'll just call back." Kurt sighed. Why him? There were other boys out there: not as McKinley, but Dalton? Definitely other boys for Blaine to care for. Why did he have to pick Kurt? Why did he have to care when no one else noticed him?

Time flew by with Blaine talking into his ear. He didn't dare talk in response; not knowing how his voice would come out while also figuring out that the things Blaine was saying was not only to comfort Kurt, but himself as well.

"Kurt?" He heard the desperate voice call through the air and his phone. Dropping his phone from his grasp, he looked up, only to have his vision go blurry with new tears at the look the other boy was giving him. "Oh, Kurt." Having spotted Kurt when his phone dropped, Blaine clicked his off before dropping to the ground and facing Kurt.

He reached how to hold the smaller boy, only to be faced with a small, high pitched, shriek followed by Kurt's efforts to back into the wall and make himself smaller and out of the way of attention, desperately trying to sever any type of human contact. "What did they do to you, Kurt…" Blaine looking at his torn clothes on his body and the floor, the developing bruises, and Kurt's overall disheveled appearance. "Who did this to you?"

Blaine locked Kurt's eyes wit his, not letting the younger teen break their connection for anything. If he couldn't touch him, he would do the next best thing. However, Kurt still didn't answer, merely letting the tears fall down his face. His croaking sobs had diminished, but there was no stopping the tears accompanying his scorching pain.

"Was it Karofsky, Kurt?" A slight nudge of his head told Blaine all he needed to know as he took in the rest of his surroundings. The blood mixed with semen on the tile and Kurt's clothing was as much of a giveaway as Kurt saying it himself would ever be. "Let me help you." Fresh tears fell from Kurt's eyes at Blaine's pleading look and tone of voice. "Please."

With a small sigh, Kurt unclenched his hold on his knees a small bit, letting his knuckles return to their normal skin tone rather than stark white from pressure. Taking the hint, Blaine reached for one of his hands, caressing it with both of his own. "We have to get out of here, Kurt." Another slight nod and Kurt attempted to push himself upright only to give a lurch followed by a gasp, falling onto Blaine. "Can you stand for just a moment?"

Balancing the hurt boy against the wall, Blaine looked around before scooping up the discarded articles of clothing and putting them into Kurt's bag. He took off his Dalton jacket and handed it to Kurt. "Put this on," He threw the bag over his shoulder for Kurt once he was covered up. He continued to pick up the smaller boy up, holding him to his chest bridal-style, while trying hard not to squish the hurt boy and still keep a strong hold.

"W-what're you…" His voice trailed off but Blaine caught Kurt's worried gaze.

"You can't walk, and we need to leave. Simple solution."

Surprisingly, they reached Blaine's car without running into anyone, not that either teen was complaining. It would only complicate things further if someone was walking down the hall only to discover the disheveled and hurt Kurt.

"I need to take you home" Blaine whispered to the small boy as he sat him in the passenger seat, growing more concerned as soon as he saw Kurt wince as his bottom hit the hard, cold, seat.

"N-No, Blaine, I can't…my dad can't see me like this."

"Kurt, it's not up for discussion. I should be taking to the Hospital, but I don't know how up for that you are. Maybe it'd be easier, because you wouldn't be able to fight me as much," Blaine smirked playfully at this, trying to lighten the mood, "but you father _needs_ to know. He'll found out eventually."

"He can't see me like this, Blaine. He'll be so disappointed. I'm disgusting Blaine, don't you get it? It'd break him to see how horrible I've become."

"Then we're going to the Hospital. I am calling him, on our way. You can't keep him in the dark."

He wanted to fight Blaine, he wanted to crawl into a ball and die, but he didn't have the strength to walk, much less argue. It hurt to breathe, and he knew saying anything would be a dying cause. Hearing no retort, Blaine pulled out of the high school and headed in the direction of the Hospital. He knew it was unsafe, but there was no way he was going to break the hold his own hand on Kurt's, so after positioning his left knee in control of the wheel, Blaine reached for Kurt's phone and found the number for Burt's garage before connecting the call.

"Mr. Hummel," Blaine spoke, glancing over for Kurt's reaction.

"Uh, yes, who is this? Where's Kurt?"

"Sir, this is Blaine, from Dalton. I have Kurt sitting next to me, and we're headed for the hospital. He doesn't want you to see him, but you need to know he's in bad shape. I need you to meet us there."

"I'm on my way." With a click, Burt had hung up, as did Blaine. Glancing over once more, Blaine noticed Kurt's furrowed brow as he looked out the window, right hand clenching the corresponding knee tightly.

"Kurt."

"What, Blaine?" Speaking a bit louder than before, Kurt looked at the teen. He was angry; why couldn't Karofsky have killed him instead? Why did Blaine care so much that he wouldn't let him wallow in his pain and misery? He wasn't worth any of this. He was a lesser being compared to the brown-haired beauty next to him.

"We'll make him pay for this, Kurt. We will. His own internal battles aren't even excuses anymore. He hurt you in one of the worst ways possible. I won't let it go by unnoticed" Before Kurt was able to reply, they were pulling up to the emergency room and Blaine was out of his seat and at the passenger door, leaving the engine running.

The next few hours went by in a whirlwind. Kurt, who was being carried by Blaine once again, focused more on the escalating heart rate of the older teen than what was being said to the nurses. He focused more on Blaine's hand in his, rather than the conversation between the doctor and his father. He focused more on trying to forget everything that had happened as they examined him for the rape kit. He focused on his own breathing as he tried to sleep, wanting nothing more than for the night to be over.

He hated the smell of hospitals, among other things, and when they made Blaine leave he hung onto his jacket, burying his face into it as unconsciousness began to take over; as much as he tried not to fall for the Warbler, he had, and the sweet, citrus scent of the boy comforted him more than anything else ever could before.

* * *

-A/N I already have some more written in my phone waiting to go up. Please let me know what you think and give criticism where it is needed. I only looked it over twice after typing it up onto this computer. Thank you, everyone, for reading xx


	2. Chapter 2

"H-He's awake! Mr. Hummel! Kurt's awake!"

Furrowing his brow, the boy in question looked from the anxious face of Blaine to his distraught father, who was slowly beginning to wake up in his chair beside his son's hospital bed, identical to the one Blaine sat in on the other side.

"Kurt? Kurt!" Burt leaned forward in his chair, looking for some sort of recognition that the teen knew who he was, where he was, and just what had happened.

"Dad?" He whispered, still not having the strength (physical or mental, it didn't really matter) to talk as he usually did. Tears were starting to blur Burt's vision, unable to say anything else with fear of sobbing if he opened his mouth at the sight of his obviously-scared son.

"Kurt," Whipping his head around, which he soon regretted, the bedridden teen turned to Blaine at the sound of his voice. "Oh, Kurt."

He reached for Kurt's left, soft, delicate hand, and, when faced with no resistance, grabbed a strong yet comforting hold, rubbing circles into the skin with his thumb. He bent over, moving Kurt's fringe out of his face lovingly with his other hand.

"How long was I asleep for?"

Smoothing out Kurt's furrowed brow with his fingers before pulling away (although not letting go of the hand he held), Blaine replied. "A day and a half. It's Friday, nearly ten in the morning."

"Why aren't you at school?" His brow was no longer furrowed thanks to Blaine's sweeping fingers, but he did quirk his left eyebrow in question.

"I wasn't going to leave your side until I knew you were awake and all right." Blaine replied honestly, eyes locking with Kurt's.

"You can't do that. I'm not worth that, Blaine." Kurt was in disbelief. Why would Blaine risk every thing he had worked for at Dalton only to blow it off in favor of watching him _sleep_, of all things?

"You can't turn back time, Kurt; I made my decision the moment they made me leave when visiting hours ended."

Kurt turned from Blaine to Burt, realizing his defeat in their argument. "The garage isn't closed, is it?"

"Don't worry about us," Burt reassured his son. "You're more important."

"No, I'm not."

Both Blaine and Burt stared incredulously at the hurt teen before their eyes. "What do you mean, you're _not_ important?" Blaine didn't bother to hide the obvious annoyance in his voice.

"Just that." Kurt took a deep breath, the first one in days he was able to take without breaking down into a fit of tears.

"Whatever the boys who did this to you got you to think is absolute bull crap, Kurt." Burt stared at his son intently. Yes, he was angry at how his son was acting, but he knew it wasn't his entire fault. He was hurt, mentally and physically, and the guys that hurt him were going to pay. He knew Kurt would complain and agonize the entire way through it, but it was his job as a father to make things right.

Blaine's hazel eyes widened in shock, "Mr. Hummel, it wasn't just Karofsky that attacked Kurt?"

Not daring to look at the older teen's expression, Kurt focused his gaze on his father, hoping by the grace of gaga that he would spark some hidden telekinetic powers telling his dad _not_ to tell Blaine what the doctors had shared. He didn't need to see any report or talk to someone with a PhD as his father had; he had lived through it to know all too well just what happened in that locker room.

"I—" Burt glanced at his son's expression, and let out a deep sigh. "Ask Kurt, Blaine. It's his place to tell you." Standing up, the older man headed for the closed door. "I'm going to go call Carole and let her know you're awake and grab some coffee. Want anything Blaine?"

"You don't have to; but coffee would be fine." At the Dalton student's reply, Burt nodded and left the room, closing the door once again with a soft click.

"Kurt." Turning from the direction Mr. Hummel had just left, Blaine strengthened his old on Kurt's hand, choosing to stare intently at the boy before him. "You have to answer me sometime, Kurt."

"What do you want me to tell you, Blaine? That I was attacked by not just Karofsky, but Azimio and who knows who the mystery third person was? Do you want me to recount every waking moment of the worst half hour of my entire life? What the hell are you _expecting_ from me? I'm not _right_, Blaine. I'm horrible; I'm the scum of the earth. I wasn't strong enough to keep them off, and that is my fault." Kurt was nearly yelling, and he probably would have if his throat wasn't so raw. Tears had started to build up once more, but they were more so fueled by his anger than anything else.

"Listen to me, Kurt." Despite Blaine's reply, Kurt continued to stare at a spot on the wall; he presumed there used to be a photo hanging, noted by the small mark left by a nail long since removed. "Kurt." Speaking much harsher than before, Blaine leaned farther into Kurt's line of view and used his free hand to grab onto the boy in front of him's chin. He barely touched him, his fingers hardly ghosting over the soft skin underneath his touch.

"Don't you for _one_ god damn minute think any of this is your fault. You are not ugly, horrible, disgusting, or scum of the earth." Eyes still blazing, Blaine paused for a moment to collect his thoughts before continuing. He was angry beyond belief, but not at Kurt. Never at Kurt. He cared far too much for the underclassman to ever feel anything but adoration for the boy. Did Kurt really, truly, not realize how phenomenal he was? How strong and brave he was to go to school every day despite his tormentors?

"If anyone is the lowest form of the human life, it's those assholes. We will get them for this, Kurt, and you need to remember that. They won't ever hurt you again; I won't let it happen. You're going to overcome this."

"How can you be so sure?" The tears in his eyes started to slip out of his confines, trickling down his face. "How do you know that I didn't egg them on; that I wasn't at fault for being in the boys locker room when I knew Karofsky would be there getting ready for practice?" Kurt was talking softly, lightly, and Blaine had to strain to hear the next part when he whispered, despite how close their faces were from each other. "What if I deserved it?"

Words couldn't describe how Blaine felt, practically sitting on the hospital bed beneath him as he leaned so far close to Kurt's face he couldn't help but be mesmerized by the teen's glistening eyes. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out besides a slow, low, moan of a growl, as he worked hard to keep his anger in check and not to make Kurt think he was angry at _him_, of all people. "Nobody deserves what they did to you, Kurt. No one."

Blaine knew he was risking his chances of ever being able to get so close and touch Kurt without a single flinch again. He was going back and forth in his head over which way was right and what was wrong when he couldn't stop himself. Just the _look_ Kurt bore made him want to get up and find the boys who had attacked him and pulverize them, while at the same time keep himself there forever, attached to Kurt's bed until he was fully ready to go back into the real world.

Letting go of the hand he had been holding so carefully, Blaine pulled both of his armed around Kurt and hugged him. Nothing bone crushing or hard; just a soft, gentle, reassuring squeeze. He brought his right hand up and caressed the nape of Kurt's neck. "Nothing is going to hurt you. Never again, not if I can help it." He whispered these comforting words into Kurt's ear, struggling not to break down crying himself.

If there was one thing Blaine was sure of by the time he was able to let go of Kurt—the boy had appreciate the hug, thankfully, and gripped onto the back of Blaine's shirt just as fiercely as Blaine had murmured words of ease into his ear while he held him as though his life depended on it; as if his life mission was to make sure Kurt Hummel was all right, alive, breathing, and to restore his hope in the world—it was that he was going to find these boys who threatened Kurt's life and stability.

He would not rest until they had been found and tried for their actions of hate against Kurt. Yes, they lived in Lima, where it was easier to find a homophobic petitioner than it was an actual gay man, but that would not stop Blaine from getting these boys locked up. He knew Kurt didn't have a lot of money, but he'd be damned if he just sat there and watched as everything fell apart when the judicial system could clearly make things right and bring them justice due to the aid of horribly cheap lawyer. He knew it would be hard—his own past proved just that—but he was not going to give up until Kurt was safe and happy.

* * *

-A/N A bit shorter than the last chapter, but I liked where it ended and didn't want to push anything else out that would ruin the mood I left this with. Once again, criticism is much appreciated, especially if I begin to get my characterization off. Thank you for everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, and added this story to their alerts. Every single one of you makes me happy and remember the love I once had for fanfiction. xx


	3. Chapter 3

"Honey, you have to go back to school sometime." Blaine looked up from his phone, clicking send as he finished his message to Kurt, only to see the concerned look his mother was giving him.

"I told you already," He heaved a sigh while standing up and reaching for his bag, "Wes and David are getting my work for me. Kurt needs me."

"You never did tell me what happened, you know. I haven't seen you this worked up since before you transferred to Dalton." His mother's worry was clear as day, but he hadn't told anyone in his family just what happened to the soprano singer a few days prior, preferring to have the boy monopolize all of his time even if it was voluntary. "If there's anything your father or I could do to help, you can just say the word, Blaine."

"I know," Blaine turned from the sink where he was setting down his breakfast plate, "but I don't want to make this any worse for Kurt. Until he's ready to share what happened with others, I promised him I wouldn't talk about it."

"All right, sweetie. As soon as he returns to school, so do you, you got that?" Despite her hard tone of voice, Blaine's mother smiled at her son. She was proud of him for sticking to his friend and helping him, but there was only so much she could allow him to do before his absences reached a ridiculously high number that not even she could explain to the administrators at Dalton Academy. "Oh, and be home for dinner! Your father's coming home early and wants a family dinner with everyone in attendance for once."

"Okay," Blaine tried to hide his disappointed, he really did, but his mother caught the look he gave her and shook her head at his dismay.

"Come on, just do this for him."

"I'll try and get back on time; you know how traffic is." And with that Blaine was out the door with his bag thrown over his shoulder and his coat clutched in his right hand. Once he was in his car, he threw his belongings next to him before pulling out his phone and simultaneously turning the car on.

Kurt had replied while he was talking to his mother, "_Morning. Dad wants me to go back to school today; says I've been missing too much work. :/_"

Blaine furrowed his brow. It had been less than a week; surely Burt realized how traumatic things were for Kurt. Why would he have him go back when it was only the day before that they were able to get Kurt out of bed and into the world of the living? Quickly, he replied "_Would it help if I went with you_"

It wasn't until a half hour later when Blaine hit a red light did he look at his phone, opening the message Kurt sent. "_Could you even do that?_"

"_I don't see why not. I'll just say I'm looking into transferring if they give me trouble—that you're my tour guide._" The Dalton student couldn't help but smile at the idea; sure, he'd been to McKinley before, but it was only ever to meet up with Kurt for brief moments of time. Of course, he was worried about Karofsky and the other students, but if putting up with them meant protecting Kurt on his first day back, he'd be damned if he didn't try everything in his power to accompany him.

Traffic had started to move causing Blaine to have to tuck his phone away once more, but it wasn't long before he was parking outside of the Hummel household. "_I'm here_" Sending a quick message to Kurt, he walked up the drive and to the door. However, just as he was about to knock, Finn opened the door and nearly ran into the older teen.

"Oh, hi," Finn looked around, puzzled at seeing Blaine at the door this early in the morning. "What are you doing here? I mean, Kurt's going to school today." Smiling at the befuddled look he was met with, Blaine explained the plan he and Kurt had devised an hour earlier before walking into the house.

He hadn't been anywhere near the street, much less Kurt's bedroom, prior to last week, but things changed and he knew the layout of the home just as well as Finn did upon spending every waking moment by Kurt's side.

"I've got go; Coach has us working out every morning before school starts." Finn said awkwardly, leaving Blaine in the entry way, returning to his initial task of heading for McKinley.

The next person Blaine ran into was Carole and Burt, who were sitting at the table eating their own breakfast. "Blaine, what are you doing here?" He was met with the same questioning looks from the two like he had with Finn.

"He's going to school with me today." All three turned to the voice coming from the door to the basement, where Kurt stood. You could tell he tried to put himself together as he always had, but there was a lack of desire to dress well, causing his hair to flop in the front of his eyes just a bit. His shirt was ironed, but not with as much precision as it usually was, and the same went for his trousers.

"Are your parents okay with this?" Carole asked Blaine, worry etched into her brow. She could only imagine the conversation he had been having with his own parents, trying to get him to share why he was going all the way to Lima every day for nearly a week.

"Yes," That was a lie, but Blaine figured neither his mother nor father would care so long as he was back in time for that 'family dinner'. "They want me home for dinner tonight, so since I can't be here for Kurt when he gets home, the next best thing is accompanying him on his first day back."

Carole nodded, accepting his answer. Burt still had yet to say anything; he was worried for his son, they all knew that, and he was grateful Blaine was such a good and caring friend, but he couldn't help but fret over all the things that could go wrong once Kurt returned. Yes, it was his idea for him to go back, but he did it more so out of his job as a father—he couldn't let his son get so far behind or let him sink into a hideously deep depression. Burt knew it would be hard for Kurt to go back to the McKinley, but it had to be done.

"Does Figgins know you're going, Blaine?" Mr. Hummel asked.

"No, but that's why we're going to head over a little early so as to figure things out." As Blaine replied to Kurt's dad, the younger teen stepped forward, holding tightly onto the strap of his bag in a death grip. Turning towards the silent teen, Blaine smiled, hoping it would encourage him to keep calm and remember he was going to be okay. "Do you want to eat here, or stop at that coffee shop along the way?"

"Here's fine," Kurt hadn't talked at a normal decibel since the day he woke up in the hospital when he got into that argument with Blaine, clearly preferring the soft, near whisper, since his assault.

The Warbler wasn't surprised by Kurt's want to eat with his father and Carole; he hadn't been around large numbers of people for almost a week, and he didn't want the boy to slip into a state of shock. Although Blaine had suggested the stop so as to get Kurt accustomed to the hustle and bustle of strangers, rather than jumping right back into the monsoon that was high school without any sort of "practice".

Blaine joined the three at their table while they ate breakfast. He didn't take any food, having already eaten with his mother, but he did join in on their conversations, lightening the mood with a few jokes. It wasn't long before Blaine stood up, mentioning they had to get going if they wanted to get their plan in motion.

Kurt took a deep breath and gulped, swallowing his fears. His said goodbye to both Burt and Carole before reaching for his bag, only to have Blaine pick it up while flashing another one his of memorable smiles. Trying to return the favor, Kurt smiled a small, crooked, grin, before reaching for his blazer and heading for the door.

The drive to McKinley High wasn't terribly long although it was fairly quiet, save for Blaine's singing in conjunction with the Disney music streaming out of his speakers. All the while, he held onto Kurt's hand, etching circles into the soft skin as he had done in the hospital room days before.

"You ready?" Kurt turned from the window where he had sat and stared the entire ride save for the glances he sneaked of Blaine when the older teen was too busy jamming out to Aladdin to notice.

"As ready as I'll ever be." His voice trailed off, but Blaine only squeezed his hand in reply, hoping it comforted the boy. With that, the Dalton student was up and out of his car, opening the door to the passenger side before Kurt could even blink. Giving a short, small, laugh, Kurt thanked Blaine as he used the boy's hand to help him out of the seat.

Whether it was because he was still sore, tired, or a mix of the two, Kurt was thankful he had Blaine to lean against as he gazed up at the entrance to McKinley. "You sure we have to go in? We can't just skip and hang out?"

"Sorry Kurtie, but that can't happen; your dad would have my head." Blaine chuckled at the look Kurt shot him at the nickname. "Everything will be fine, you watch. And if it's not, well, I'll just use the power of Genie and belt out a rendition of Robin Williams' singing to scare people off."

"Why are you so great?" Kurt asked as he grabbed his bag out of Blaine's grasp despite the older boy's want to carry it for him.

"I ask myself that same question every day."

* * *

-A/N I didn't want to end the chapter where I did, but I hate doing time skips, even the small ones, in a chapter, so I decided to break things up between three and four. Thank you to everyone for reading and your kind support, it means so much to me. As always, any questions, concerns, or criticisms greatly appreciated.

I already have Chapter 4 done, but I don't want to post it until I have Chapter 5 started, and that might not be til after the holidays due to my action packed schedule this week. I will, however, try to write quick, cute, little oneshots if I'm horribly inspired with a short amount of time available to me.

I appreciate all the love you guys have given me so far, I cannot say thank you enough. xx


	4. Chapter 4

Surprisingly, Figgins didn't fight with Kurt and Blaine about their situation; in fact, it seemed as though he was encouraging it. The two boys could only wonder why, though. "Maybe he thinks because you're from Dalton you'll bring the school some class." Kurt wondered aloud, looking at Blaine in question.

"Perhaps, I wouldn't doubt it." Blaine shrugged his shoulders and followed Kurt's lead as they headed for the boy's locker. Just as they reached it, however, he noticed Kurt freeze up and stop himself from opening it. "What's wrong?"

With a soft, nervous, laugh, Kurt turned to face Blaine. "Remember how you gave me that old school photo of you?"

"Yeah, from my first year Dalton, why?" Blaine was concerned and curious; why was Kurt bringing this, of all things, up now?

"You see…" His voice trailed off as he used his combination and opened the locker, watching out of the corner of his eyes as Blaine looked at the "decorations" he had put up.

"That's—" Blaine was about to speak when Kurt cut him off.

"Juvenile, silly, creepy, weird, out of the line, freaky—" It was the older teen's turn to cut off the countertenor, however.

"I was going to say adorable." It took all of Blaine's control not to chuckle at the incredulous look Kurt was staring at him with. "I like it. I just wish I had a better picture to give you."

"That's a lie; you look better without your hair entirely slicked back." Kurt didn't mean to say that, did he? He meant to think it, he told himself, but some where along the way his mind decided to change direction. If it wasn't for Blaine's hold on his wrist, he would have used his hand to cover his mouth.

Blaine didn't say anything in reply; he simply smiled at Kurt before turning to his books once again. "All right, what books do you need first?"

"All of them."

"Kurt, they can't all fit into your bag, I know you know that." Blaine stared at Kurt, knowing there was more to it that he wasn't letting on.

"If we come back later, Karofsky might see me…us." He whispered his retort, but Blaine heard it crystal clear.

"Let him. He's not going to push you around anymore, Kurt. I'm not going to stand by and watch you give him the satisfaction of knowing he's won, because this war is far from over." Squeezing the hand he had yet to let go of, Blaine reassured Kurt that he wasn't going to let anything bad happen. He was a victim, and because of that he had to face his offenders one way or another, and if they were ever going to make those boys pay, he'd have to get used to seeing their faces one way or another. "So, what books do you _really_ need, Kurtie?"

With a sigh, Kurt looked at Blaine and thanked him before grabbing the notebooks and textbooks he was going to be in need of. He was about to tell him where his homeroom was when he heard Mercedes calling his name from the other end of the hallway. "Blaine—" He had wanted to ask advice on how he should respond to people, especially his friends, but before he could even finish his question, Mercedes was standing next to the older teen and smiling.

"Where've you been? You haven't been answering my texts; Rachel's gotten even worse while you've been gone, rattling off about how she's the strongest soprano." Mercedes rambled on and filled Kurt in on all that had been happening with New Directions in his absence, not noticing the anxiety etched onto his face grow with each passing minute. More and more students had begun to filter into the school since they had left Figgins office, and before then Kurt hadn't realized just how _large_ and crowded McKinley really was.

"Mercedes?" Blaine interjected, cutting the girl off.

"Oh, hey—Blaine, right? What are you doing here? Not spying I hope…who knows what Berry would do if she caught sight of you so close to our set list." Mercedes looked from Blaine to Kurt, confusion written over her face.

"I wouldn't dare spy; I'm accompanying Kurt to all of his classes today. He's showing me how a typical day at McKinley happens." Blaine glanced at Kurt and noticed his apprehension right away. He knew there was only so much hand-squeezing he could do before that became a normal motion and lost its appeal in quieting his nerves. "I hope you wouldn't mind if we caught up with you later? We have to get to homeroom, not to mention pick up all the work Kurt's been missing."

"Yeah, sure." Mercedes glanced at Kurt, trying to tell if he was okay as she felt as if there was something going on that she just wasn't understanding or being told, before returning to the Dalton student. "I'll catch up with you guys at Glee practice. There's a meeting during lunch, Kurt."

"Thanks 'cedes." Kurt tried to smile, but was only able to muster up a soft, crooked, one much like that morning before he had left his house with Blaine.

Once the girl had gone and was safely out of ear shot, Blaine faced Kurt. "You need to keep calm and breath, Kurt. She's not going to be the only one that talks to you today, and she's your best friend."

"I know, it's just…it's hard, you know?" Kurt looked up at Blaine, damning the slight, minuscule, difference in their heights.

"I understand, just don't overwork yourself and become overwhelmed." Blaine was about to reach over and hug the smaller boy just before they began to move in the direction of Kurt's homeroom when Finn entered their line of vision.

"Um, hi." Finn looked from Blaine to Kurt and back again, noticing when Kurt's faced turned a slight pink-tinge that he must have interrupted something. "I just, I wanted to make sure you got to school all right."

From his numerous talks with Kurt, Blaine knew that Finn and he had a past, a sloppy, crazy, and all over of the place past, and was delighted to see just how protective Finn was as Kurt's newly-made brother. He had gotten to know the football player from the time he spent over Kurt's house and while he wasn't the sharpest crayon in the box, he had the best of intentions.

"Thanks, Finn," Trying that smile once again, Kurt was thankful to have Finn has family now. Yes, they had awkward moments since Carole and her son moved into the Hummel household, not to mention having to put up with Rachel, but they were family now, and that's what mattered. "A bit overwhelmed, but I think I'll manage."

"Okay, that's good. I was gonna go tell Rachel to keep her space from you, and to pass it on to the other Glee members; is that cool with you?"

"That would be really helpful, thanks." The two said their goodbyes after that, and Blaine and Kurt reached homeroom without having to stop and chat with anyone else again. Once they got to homeroom, however, was a whole other story.

"Kurt Hummel, come up here, please." The bell had already rung and everyone was in their seats, talking and texting, as their teacher took attendance and the announcements went by. The boy in question looked to Blaine for confidence before standing up and meekly walking up to the teacher's desk. "Ms Pillsbury would like to see you in her office; here's a pass."

Kurt didn't know why he was needed by Emma, but he could only imagine, and stopped to tell Blaine before they left the room. The two silently made their way down the hallways before reaching the office, knocking on the door and catching the woman's attention, even though she could clearly see them through the glass door. Having motioned them in, she gestured to the two seats before her desk and didn't start talking until after they were comfortable.

"I just got off the phone with your father, Kurt." She looked sadly from Kurt to Blaine and back again before continuing. "He told me what happened last Wednesday, and I informed him that I'd be having a word with you. I…A school should be a safe place for you to go to. This never should have happened. If you ever get harassed again, come tell either myself or Mr. Figgins. If you want to talk about last Wednesday, or are overwhelmed by things here in school, my door will always be open for you to come in."

Kurt fidgeted in his chair, and looked over at Blaine, hoping once again for his telekinetic hidden powers to awaken so he could tell him how uncomfortable this was making him, discussing the incident with not only Ms Pillsbury, but in front of Blaine as well. He wanted to tell him he was sorry for dragging him into this entire mess; that he was sorry he was not much of a friend, but a needy parasite. If he could, he would tell Blaine how badly he wanted to get out of the school. To never return, just leave, and go anywhere. He'd tell him how he'd feel guilty for leaving his dad behind, but it'd be worth it if wherever they went was bully-free.

_They_.

Kurt decided if he had any type of power, it would include being able to tell Blaine just how much he cared for him, whether it was through actual dialogue or telekinetic powers. He knew the older boy cared for him—he wouldn't have skipped three days of school and counting if he felt nothing for Kurt—but he figured it was platonic—out of friendship and a want to make things right because he ran from his own demons.

If he had the courage to, he'd be able to tell Blaine just what his presence did to him, how just being able to _smell_ him drove him crazy, and how scared he was for the beautiful teen to be at McKinley. Karofsky and his friends took no leisure in their plans to torture Kurt day in and day out, and he could only imagine the pain they'd inflict if they knew another gay teenager was in their school.

Kurt knew he had to stop musing over these things. He had to look on the bright side, as Blaine had told him to countless times before; to look into the future rather than linger on the past and to fight for what he felt was right and to fight for his own personal justice. How could he, though, when the boy who played his mentor was the same person who made him fidget and yearn to be something more? To be something more than just an ordinary gay teenager trying to survive in Lima, Ohio?

"Thank you, Ms Pillsbury." At the sound of Blaine's gentle voice, Kurt whipped his head around and stared at the Warbler. How did he know Kurt didn't have the willpower, much less the voice, to talk? Tears had started to pool into his eyes, and he could only assume his skin was turning blotchy as he tried to hold them in.

The phone sitting on Emma's desk rang, and she jumped to answer it, clearly interrupting her train of thought. As she conversed with whoever was on the other end, she noticed the two teenagers sitting before her were lost in their own world. Kurt, who appeared as if he was going to break down crying any minute, was caught in an un-wavering stare with Blaine; she did not know who this boy was, but from what Mr. Hummel had mentioned briefly minutes prior to the meeting, she could assume he was the student from Dalton Academy who had only left Kurt's side when it was absolutely necessary.

"Yes, all right, I'll be right there." She set the phone down with a soft click and turned to the two boys, catching their attention. "I have to go talk to Mr. Figgins for a moment, but I'll be back shortly. Don't leave just yet."

As soon as she was gone, Blaine and Kurt laid their attention back on each other. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what, Kurt?" Blaine asked.

"Wasting your time with me. You're going to fall behind at Dalton and it's going to be all my fault. Who knows, maybe Karofsky's going to attack you next while you're here! You shouldn't be doing this." Kurt went on and on, and with every line he added the harder it became to hold his own tears in.

"Kurt, you need to listen to me." Leaning forward in his chair, Blaine grabbed hold of both of Kurt's hands, forcing them to unclench from their position in his lap. He stared into Kurt's eyes with his own hazel set, silently pleading for the boy to not cry. "I'm doing all of this—" he waved his right arm about, referring to picking Kurt up Wednesday night as well as coming to school with him today and everything that had happened in between, before returning to holding Kurt's hand that he had let go of in order to emphasize his point "—because I _want_ to. I care about you, Kurt, and whether you believe that now or later, doesn't matter. All that matters right now is that I'm sitting here, waiting to help you in any way, shape, or form, that you will let me.

"I don't know how many times I need to say this to you, Kurt; _I care about_. More than is probably necessary or even needed right now, but I don't know when or if I'll ever stop caring, and if I'm not giving up, neither can you. Call me a broken record, but things will get better." Blaine was looking at Kurt the entire time he spoke, and just like when they were in the hospital room Friday morning, he leaned forward, pulling the smaller boy into a hug.

"Whether you believe it or not, you are one amazing boy, Kurt Hummel. You are beautiful, astounding, and all around _great_." He whispered this into Kurt's ear as they embraced, but despite how softly he said it, it rattled every fiber, every muscle, and every part of Kurt's body, from head to toe. Maybe he was reading into things, but it seemed to him as if Blaine liked him—in the way that Kurt liked Blaine, no less.

It couldn't be true, could it? That would make things too perfect, too wonderful; especially after the attack just days before. Emma returned shortly after the two boys had pulled apart—although Blaine had refused to let go of Kurt's right hand when they ended their hug—and all Kurt could think about was Blaine and their feelings for each other. He had bigger worries, concerns that when it came down to it, could affect his life, but in that moment, everything was pure bliss. Maybe, just maybe, he would have the strength to continue with life at McKinley High. Maybe he didn't need to run away from his problems; rather, fight back, hitting his attackers where it hurt in retaliation for all the pain they had inflicted through out his high school career. Perhaps once all of this was over, he would have Blaine beside him, and a dazzling future awaiting the both of them.

* * *

-A/N Just so you all know, I don't know when I'll be able to update again between now and next Sunday/Monday, considering I've only just started Chapter 5. Not to mention last nights Glee episode, which with Kurt leaving, kind of makes this story not as plausible, since I have Burt and Carole married already. So basically, this is becoming slight AU, but not exponentially so. Any and all reviews, faves, and alerts are appreciated, and I would love to hear what you all have to say. xx


	5. Chapter 5

So maybe dazzling futures weren't meant for everyone. Perhaps some people were put on earth for other, stronger, people to vent out their frustration. If that was the case, however, why would these "punching bags" be given human emotion? To make them blend in well enough with the rest of their surroundings? Kurt decided he needed to stop over thinking every little thing, but it wasn't that easily said and done.

He and Blaine were dismissed from Ms Pillsbury's office a good way into first period. Blaine, being the dapper, caring boy that strived to keep Kurt calm, had suggested they wait out the last fifteen minutes or so, rather than cause all eyes to draw on the McKinley High student the moment he walked into his class. Of course, the younger teen refused, arguing he had already missed so much school that he couldn't possibly skip his first class of the day.

"If you're sure," Blaine looked at Kurt, the worry evident in his hazel eyes. The only answer he received in reply was a slight nod of Kurt's head and squeeze from their joined hands. With a sigh, the older boy allowed Kurt to lead them on their way to his English class.

"Mr. Hummel, it's very nice to see you've decided to grace us with your presence today." Blaine had to keep himself from quirking an eyebrow at the flat tone the woman, who couldn't be older than thirty, gave from behind the desk she sat at in the front of the room. "We've been reading Shakespeare's Othello, up to Act 4. Fill out these worksheets and have them in to me by Wednesday and I won't take any points off."

Kurt said nothing, nodding meekly, as he accepted the papers from the woman before heading for his usual seat. He was glad, Jacob Ben Israel, who usually sat on the chair opposite of his, wasn't there, leaving a space for Blaine to sit.

"Is she crazy?" The older boy hadn't spoken since before they entered the room, and Kurt looked up from his spot at the start of Act 2 to look at the teen quizzically.

"What do you mean, Blaine?"

The Warbler had to roll his eyes at Kurt obliviousness. "You've been through so much, not to mention all the other make up work you'll have to do, and she's making you do trivial worksheets in a two-day spam that I'm sure these other kids have had the entire weekend to work on. It's bullshit."

Blaine was not one for cursing, or at least not around Kurt. Maybe it was because the majority of the pair's conversations were serious, or it could simply be because Blaine never had reasoning to; still, the slip had caught Kurt by surprise, despite how insignificant of a word "shit" really was. "It's not too bad; I read the entire play when she gave us the book last Monday, so I'm just rereading to find the answers."

"Obviously you're amazing," Blaine smiled a bit before remembering why he was worked up in the first place, "but she didn't know that, and she shouldn't have talked to you so rudely."

"Blaine, she's a teacher, and I came in late to class; she has every right to be a bit peeved." Kurt tried to defend his teacher. She wasn't a horrible lady, and he had had her the previous year as well, so she knew his work ethic. Why was Blaine getting so hung up on the small confrontation, to begin with? "What's wrong, Blaine?"

Blaine rubbed his forehead with his right hand that he had been leaning on since he had taken his seat and watched Kurt get to work before replying, "I don't like how superior she's acting towards you. At Dalton, the teachers treat us like equals. Just because they have a degree, doesn't make them any different from us when it comes down to it."

Smiling dimly, Kurt nodded. "I told you McKinley was different. You sure you want to stay the entire day with me?"

"You'll have to kill me to get rid of me, Kurt." Blaine flashed the boy sitting across from him a smile. "There's no way I'm letting these teachers get the best of you. Just because Finn's been getting more into his role as a brother doesn't mean he'll be around all the time, either."

Kurt was about to retort when the bell rang and he sighed, gathering up his bag before Blaine could snag it from the space next to his desk, and headed in search of his physics class with Tina. When the two walked into the class room, Tina spotted the pair and walked up to greet them.

"Kurt! Where've you been? You do _not_ want to know what kind of changes Rachel has been trying to enforce in practice." Tina looked from her friend to the unknown boy standing beside him. While in a committed relationship with Mike, she did notice just how _cool_ the boy looked as he leaned on his right leg, left hand resting lightly inside of his dark jean pocket, the right holding comfortably to Kurt's own left hand. "And who is this?"

"Mercedes told me this morning, and I can only imagine." Kurt dodged Tina as she stepped forward to give him a hug as they walked farther into the class room. He tried to make it inconspicuous, so as to not hurt her feelings, but he couldn't even fathom the idea of behind enclosed in someone's hold. Someone other than Blaine's, that is. "This is Blaine. He goes to Dalton Academy, but decided it was more important to make sure my first day back went smoothly rather than attend his own classes."

The boy in question could only smile at how adorable Kurt looked when he was flustered and blushing. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Tina, correct?"

"Yes, nice meeting you." Tina's eyes shifted once more from the kind smile Blaine presented to her and the flushed appearance of Kurt's skin. There was something more, and she was slightly hurt Kurt didn't feel safe enough to share. She was even more concerned by the idea that he felt he needed someone from an outside school to—to what, protect him?—accompany him around McKinley.

"Um, what did I miss?" Kurt asked as they took their seats in the back. The countertenor didn't actually prefer to sit in the back—if there was one of his tormentors in his class, it'd be easier for them to chastise him without the teacher noticing, not to mention seeing the board and taking notes would be harder—but when they switched seats two weeks before, Kurt was gladly accepting the seat placement, giving him more opportunity to text in class to a certain boy at Dalton. There was no open seat around him, however, so Blaine pulled up a stool from the lab stations behind them.

"Nothing too big. We reviewed that chapter test from last week, and got started on Unit 5's definitions." Tina answered while simultaneously taking her notebook out. "Here, to save you the trouble of looking them up."

Graciously accepting the notebook, Kurt smiled. "Thank you so much, you're a life saver." Kurt had started writing the first word down when the bell rang, and their teacher walked in. He placed his bag on his desk before pulling out an Expo marker and started writing their plans for the class period on the board. The younger teen boy glanced up only briefly to see if they were doing anything too hard, and it turned out they were just continuing with the definitions.

"I have no idea what Mr. Simps is doing, giving us such easy work. There aren't even that many words to define." Tina said to Kurt quietly, so as to not catch the teacher in question's attention. "He did say the class average was horrible for the test, though, so maybe he thinks we need to slow things down."

"Whatever his reasoning, I'm not complaining." Kurt stood to head for the teacher's desk when he felt Blaine move next to him. "You don't have to come with me, Blaine. I'll explain everything."

"If you're sure," Hazel eyes met Kurt's own—he never could give the shade a specific name—with worry etched into them.

"Completely." Kurt smiled at Blaine before continuing his short walk to the teacher's desk. Without Blaine's help, the younger teen never thought he'd have been able to return to McKinley so soon, if at all. If he could do anything to return the favor and show his appreciation, he'd do it in a heartbeat. Sure, Blaine had reiterated to him countless times over and over how much he cared for the boy, but Kurt figured he was only saying it. Why would he stick by Kurt's side when there was so much drama attached? Did Blaine _like_ having a messy, crazy, life? Kurt could only wonder what kind of things Blaine had endured at his own school before transferring to Dalton.

"Kurt, how are you?" Mr. Simps pulled Kurt out of his musings with a warm smile. "As I'm sure Tina has informed you, we haven't been doing a whole lot. Here's a list of the vocabulary I gave out last week. If you give me a second, I can pull up your test grade for you."

Nodding silently, the Hummel boy accepted the sheet of copy paper and waited as his teacher clicked away at his keys before pulling up the class's electronic grade book. His eyes followed the cursor's arrow, taking in the sight he was met with: he had somehow managed to get a seventy-percent on the test.

"This isn't your best, Kurt. You and I both know that." Mr. Simps looked at his student with evident worry. "Your average didn't fall too hard, thanks to how well you've done on every other assignment, but you need to do well on the next test to keep that A where you like it."

"Thank you, Mr. Simps," Kurt mumbled, still shocked by how poorly he had done. "Is there any type of extra credit I could do to pull it up just in case?"

"I'm planning on giving the class this fun little web-search opportunity tomorrow that's due Wednesday, and while I'm sure your teachers are giving you a lot of work to make up, why don't I just give it to you now. If you have the time, give yourself the head start. It's not hard, but it can be tedious." Handing over the second sheet of paper, Mr. Simps' eyes flicked to the back of the room. "Now, about your friend over there…"

"Oh!" Kurt exclaimed, realizing he had almost forgotten about mentioning the situation. He pulled a note out of his back pocket that Figgins had told him to show any teachers who gave him trouble. "His name is Blaine, and he's visiting from Dalton Academy."

Quickly reading the rushed note Figgins had written, Mr. Simps nodded. "Alright, tell him I do hope he enjoys his visit; just know that not all of the classes we have are as lax as today's is."

"Thank you, Mr. Simps." Kurt nodded and turned to head back to his seat and finish copying the work from Tina.

"Sure thing, and Kurt," The teen in question paused and looked at his science teacher. "you know my office is always open for you to come and talk any time you feel the need to, right?"

"Ah, yes, well, no, I didn't but thank you." Kurt rushed, starting to feel uncomfortable by all the kindness his teacher was giving him. He didn't think Ms Pillsbury had talked to his teachers, but he could have been wrong. Maybe she sent out an email or something.

"Ms Pillsbury didn't tell me anything, although I'm not sure about any of your other teachers," What was with adults and their apparent ability to read people's minds at the oddest of moments, Kurt thought to himself as Mr. Simps continued, "but you're never absent from school, save for that time concerning your father, and you have too many things going on in your life as a teen without having to deal with pointless, unnecessary, troubles on top of it all."

Unable to find words, Kurt nodded meekly. "T-thank you, Mr. Simps." He had forgotten to keep up his normal façade of having a certain eloquence about the way he spoke, and Kurt didn't seem to care at all in that moment. He had never felt concern from any of his teachers besides Mr. Schue before, and learning that someone genuinely _cared_ was overwhelming.

Somehow, he made it back to his seat. Somehow or another he was able to explain what had happened to Blaine without Tina hearing, as well as finish copying the notes Tina let him borrow. By some force of magic or something else entirely, Kurt made it through his classes with much less difficulty than he had been expecting. In fact, this was probably the best Monday he had ever had before. He had yet to see Karofsky or Azimio and he didn't know if they were avoiding him, he was simply lucky, or if it was Blaine's presence that made them think twice about making an appearance.

Not to say that Blaine was superman, despite the comparisons Kurt constantly made within his own mind, but Karofsky would surely remember him from his confrontation with the two on the back stairway weeks before, and wouldn't dare risk Blaine saying something that would out him in front of the entire school, not to mention his own Neanderthal friends.

"Where do you usually sit?" Blaine asked, stealing Kurt's bag off of his shoulder when the boy's grip loosened after they had paid for their meal.

"Sometimes with Mercedes, sometimes Artie and Tina and Mike; it all depends on who has lunch on the given day and if we really have anything of importance to discuss." Kurt, despite the glare he directed at Blaine for taking his bag, looked around the room, trying to spot his friends.

"I'm sure they're worried about you, you know." Blaine spoke quietly to Kurt. Not out of worry that someone would overhear, but because of the sharp contrast it gave to the booming voices surrounding them. It gave them a sense of secrecy—intimacy, if you will.

"Kurt! Where've you been?" Rolling himself up to the two boys, Artie looked at his fellow Glee member in question.

"Home, sick." Kurt replied, trying to keep the confidence in his voice he had been exuding all day alive. He knew that if even for a moment he let some of his weakness show, other students would attack him like vultures on a dead buck, and there was no way he was letting that happen. Blaine had already seen him at his worst, but in a school atmosphere? It could only create pure _pity_, and Kurt wanted to have no part of it.

"Sucks, man." Artie nodded and turned himself around, assuming the two boys would follow him to the table Mercedes had grabbed for the lot. "What did you say your name was?" He turned to Blaine and asked.

Blaine smiled warmly, his genuine ability to be caring was clear, and addressed the table despite having already met Tina and Mercedes. "Blaine, I'm just visiting for the day but I attend Dalton Academy not two hours from here. More like an hour and a half when traffic's not a pain."

"Why would you be looking at a school so much less prestigious and so much farther from your current school?" Mike asked, after taking a bite of his lunch.

"Why not? Although I am more so just here to accompany Kurt on his first day back; I can't let other people get him sick after just getting better." Blaine took the seat on the right of Kurt, who had sat on Mercedes' own right, as he answered. The other boys nodded, accepting the answer, as Blaine simultaneously set the school bag he was carrying down and organized the food on the orange tray Kurt had placed between the two.

Talking in a hushed tone, just like when they first entered the cafeteria, Blaine spoke sternly to the boy beside him once everyone had broken up into their own, smaller, conversations. "You have to eat. And don't think I won't force feed you in front of your friends."

"Blaine—" Kurt had begun to talk in objection, but was quieted by Blaine's stern glare that accompanied his tone of voice. The younger boy hoped his friends hadn't noticed how his skin had heated up at the closeness of their heads, only to have his inner musings be interrupted by Blaine, who's voice had gotten even more rough, if that was even possible.

"I don't care what you said in that food line. I made you eat every day at your house, and I'll be damned if just because we're in _public_, that changes things." Again, he had cursed. It didn't bother Kurt any more than it had the first time, but what did get him reeling was the hard concern Blaine wasn't afraid of showing. He knew Blaine had gone to a public school before Dalton, so why didn't he understand that being _this close_ to a boy at McKinley was just asking for trouble to happen?

"Don't tempt me, Kurt."

Conceding in defeat, the countertenor sighed before picking up his fork and eating from the salad Blaine had gotten for the two of them. The first time Blaine had seen the small amount of food Kurt ate, he showed apprehension, and while he still didn't fully like it, he didn't fight as much as he had during the previous week. It was simply a habit that took time to fix, and the older teen didn't doubt it'd be harder now thanks to Karofsky. The boy was struggling to find something in his life he could control, and it was obvious he had already discovered his power concerning what he did or did not eat. It only made sense that this would have escalated.

After eating a few bites with Blaine's eyes watching his every move, Kurt turned to Mercedes. "Tina mentioned Rachel's plans for New Directions in Physics earlier; are either of you going to tell me just _what_ she's been planning?"

"I'll tell you myself." Mercedes' mouth hung open as she was about to reply when the girl in question took the open seat next to Tina, and consequently across from Blaine. "But first, who are you?"

"I should really make business cards," He smiled at Kurt before addressing the brunette in front of him. "Blaine, a friend of Kurt's visiting from Dalton Academy."

"The enemy?" Rachel cried out. "You're fraternizing with the _enemy_, Kurt? I don't know how sick you were, but are you really this delusional? Do I _need_ to call Jesse up and have him recount everything that happened last year?"

"You still have his number?" Mercedes asked in disbelief. "What the hell are you doing, Rachel?"

"It's all part of the plan! Just because we're not facing Vocal Adrenaline now doesn't mean we won't later, and it's always good to have tabs on our competitors." Rachel turned from Mercedes and back to Blaine before continuing her growing rant. "However, we can't discuss our plans with this spy around! How long are you staying for?"

"The entire day." Blaine couldn't help but smile wider than before; he had heard bits of each of the members of New Directions' personalities from Kurt, but he had assumed the boy drew each person's character traits out to an exaggeration. Sadly, he was mistaken, and was beginning to understand just who Rachel Berry was. "Don't mind me, though. I'm not spying. If anything, I _should_ be mad at Kurt for spying on us a few weeks ago despite how poor of a job he did at it."

"You seriously took Puck's advice?" Artie and Mike looked at Kurt in disbelief. "Dude, what prompted you to do that?"

"My help was unneeded and unnecessary. What else was I supposed to do?" Kurt shrugged and turned his own attention to Rachel. "Just because you made a horrible mistake with a backstabbing boy doesn't mean the same thing is going to happen to me, Rachel. I appreciate your concern, but you're totally wrong about Blaine and me."

"So he's not gay?" Her frankness caught everyone at the table off guard.

"He didn't say _that_," Blaine defended Kurt who had begun to turn a shade of red he had never thought imaginable before. "Our relationship has almost nothing to do with music or our performing groups. Sure, we sing together when we're blaring the radio, but it's not like we sit in music cafes and share notes on each other's groups and talk about every little trick we each have up our sleeves."

"How am I supposed to believe you?" Rachel looked at Blaine with her critical eye, and while everyone knew she would never fully trust the boy, they each individually wished she would realize Jesse was an odd person, and _not_ the regulation average for show choir boys every where.

"Ask Finn, Burt, or Carole. I haven't left Kurt's side since he's gotten…sick." Blaine had to pause, and remember the story they had concocted to cover up Kurt's sudden absence from the school. It didn't help he had Kurt frozen by embarrassment next to him, or how this girl was looking at him as if he was an alien, but Blaine knew he wouldn't let any amount of pressure or uneasiness cause him to spill the beans, so to speak. "Everything I've ever done for Kurt has been out of concern for his wellbeing. I would never ever dream of hurting him."

"So you two are together, then?" Mercedes asked, stopping Rachel from having the chance to answer.

"Well, um," Kurt, who was slowly recovering from the shock of Rachel's sudden attack, looked to Blaine for guidance. "I, um, guess you could say—"

"Yes."

* * *

-A/N I meant to end this chapter differently, but I've been writing for two solid hours, and I need to be up in six hours to go Black Friday shopping and finish packing for my weekend trip where I'll be visiting my camp friend. I do hope everyone has been having a wonderful holiday and enjoyed this chapter. Any and all comments, criticisms, faves, and alerts are appreciated. The beginning of this chapter didn't further the plot all that much, but the end, well, I'm sure it speaks for itself. xx


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